Library: Eastern Religions by Credo Reference: Practices & Beliefs

Terms & Concepts

Buddhist ethics: Topic Page
Questions of right and wrong considered according to Buddhism. Buddhist beliefs are governed by the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Five Moral Precepts.
Dharma
From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia
In Buddhism, teaching and scriptures of the Buddha, whose words and principles lead to enlightenment; also the ‘universal law’. The doctrine of the dharma is summed up in the Four Noble Truths.
The Eight-Fold Path
From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia
In Buddhism, the way to end attachment to desire (nirodha) can be found in the fourth of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism: the path to the cessation of suffering. This is achieved by following the Eightfold Path.
Mandala
From The Columbia Encyclopedia
A concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in Hindu and Buddhist Tantrism. The mandala may have derived from the circular stupa and the ritual of walking around the stupa in a circle.
Nirvana
From The Columbia Encyclopedia
In Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism, a state of supreme liberation and bliss, contrasted to samsara or bondage in the repeating cycle of death and rebirth.
Sunyata
From The Columbia Encyclopedia
One of the main tenets of Mahayana Buddhism, first presented by the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajna-paramita) scriptures (1st cent. B.C. on) and later systematized by the Madhyamika school. Early Buddhist schools of Abhidharma, or scholastic metaphysics, analyzed reality into ultimate entities, or dharmas, arising and ceasing in irreducible moments in time.
Tantra: Topic Page
In both Hinduism and Buddhism, esoteric tradition of ritual and yoga known for elaborate use of mantra, or symbolic speech, and mandala, or symbolic diagrams.

Practices & Beliefs

Anatta
From The Dictionary of World Philosophy
Pali term meaning the same as anātman (from the Sanskrit an, i.e. “not”, and ātman, i.e. “soul”). In Buddhism, it is sometimes combined with the term vāda (theory), to produce anattā-vāda, the theory of no-soul or non-I or of anātman, attributed to the Buddha (sixth century BCE).
Dukkha
From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia
Buddhist concept of the suffering that arises from a person's clinging desire (Pali tanha, Sanskrit samudaya or trishna) to that which is inevitably impermanent, changing, and perishable.
Kasone
From Cultural Studies: Holidays Around the World
The most important of the 12 Burmese festivals of the months, Kasone Full Moon Day—sometimes known as Buddha Day—celebrates the birth and the enlightenment of the Buddha at the foot of the banyan tree.
Poson
From Cultural Studies: Holidays Around the World
This festival, also called Dhamma Vijaya and Full Moon Day, celebrates the bringing of Buddhism to Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). It is second in importance only to Vesak.
The Four Noble Truths
From The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia
The Buddha was born a prince, Siddartha Gautama. He lived in luxury and was very wealthy. During his search for enlightenment, he was unable to find answers to the meaning of life when he lived a life of luxury as a prince. Neither could he find answers when he lived the life of extreme self-discipline as an ascetic (a wandering holy man) and starved himself.
Vesak
From Cultural Studies: Holidays Around the World
This is the holiest of Buddhist holy days, celebrating the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death, or attaining of Nirvana. While these anniversaries are observed in all Buddhist countries, they are not always celebrated on the same day.